New Zealand lightweight Dan Hooker has drawn a line between authenticity and performance in the UFC, taking aim at Colby Covington’s approach to self-promotion during a recent interview with Sky Sports.
Dan Hooker: Don’t Be Fake Like Colby Covington
“People can hate me for being me — I can live with that, that’s all right,” Hooker said. “It’s like, you don’t want to be Colby Covington, where they’re just scared that people won’t like the real them. I’d rather be hated for who I am than loved for something I’m not.”
The comments from the 35-year-old veteran shows tensions around Covington’s admitted use of a character to remain relevant in the UFC. Covington revealed in 2019 that the promotion had told his management they would not re-sign him prior to his October 2017 bout against Demian Maia in Brazil. Facing career uncertainty while earning $30,000 to fight the number two welterweight in the world, Covington delivered the infamous post-fight rant that altered his trajectory.
After dominating Maia to a unanimous decision, Covington grabbed the microphone and called Brazilians “a bunch of filthy animals” and Brazil “a dump”. The promo went viral, forcing the UFC to reverse course. “That promo goes so viral on the internet, that the UFC’s like, we have to keep him, we have to re-sign him because that promo is so big,” Covington explained on The Candace Owens Show. The moment became the turning point that saved his career.
Since adopting the persona, Covington has achieved notable success, including capturing the interim welterweight championship against Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 225 in June 2018. However, observers have noted the toll of maintaining the act. Former UFC lightweight Paul Felder suggested in March 2025 that Covington’s persona appears to be fading.
Multiple training partners and opponents have reported that Covington presents as reserved and soft-spoken in private settings, contradicting the bombastic character displayed during fight promotions. Even Demian Maia noted that Covington was respectful during their pre-fight interactions, explaining that the aggressive promotion was simply a business tool.
Covington’s recent career trajectory reflects the challenges Hooker referenced. The former interim champion holds a 17-5 professional record but has won just once in his last four fights. His most recent appearance ended in a third-round TKO loss to Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa on December 14, 2024, when a doctor stopped the contest due to a severe cut above Covington’s eye. Buckley dominated the fight, landing 75 of 151 significant strikes compared to Covington’s 37 of 124.
Covington currently sits at number 14 in the UFC welterweight rankings. His last victory came against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272 in March 2022. UFC President Dana White recently questioned Covington’s top-15 ranking during an interview, agreeing with criticism about his placement.
Hooker’s career stands in contrast to Covington’s current situation. The number six ranked lightweight brought a three-fight winning streak into his November 22, 2025 main event against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC Qatar. Despite losing via arm-triangle choke submission in the second round, Hooker had compiled victories over Mateusz Gamrot and Jalin Turner in back-to-back split decisions prior to the loss.
The New Zealander returns to action on January 31, 2026, facing number eight ranked Benoit Saint Denis in the co-main event of UFC 325 in Sydney, Australia. With a 24-13 professional record and 14-9 UFC mark, Hooker remains a fixture in the lightweight division’s upper tier.
Paddy Pimblett Beef
Hooker’s comments arrive amid separate controversy involving fellow lightweight Paddy Pimblett. The two engaged in a heated exchange on social media after Pimblett criticized Hooker’s grappling skills during an interview with MMA Guru. Hooker responded by referencing Pimblett’s close friend Ricky, who died by suicide in 2022, writing “RIP Ricky” in a post that sparked backlash.
Pimblett fired back, calling Hooker’s comment “the lowest of the low” for bringing up a personal tragedy. The Liverpool fighter has been an advocate for mental health awareness since his friend’s death and expressed outrage at Hooker using the topic for trash talk.
The exchange occurred as Pimblett prepares for the biggest fight of his career. The number five ranked lightweight faces Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 324 on January 24, 2026 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The bout was created after current champion Ilia Topuria announced he would not compete in the first quarter of 2026 due to personal reasons.
